NY chicken lover!!!!

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: I guess a lot of people do it your way ...under water .
If it gets air ...the way I do it ..it forms a yeasty top which is thicker & I scoop that off & give it to the chickens ...daily .
I submerge it all every few days

Do you find the fermented feed really smells bad? I want to start it but the only place I really have to put it is my basement..

It smells more if you keep it covered more ...vent it occasionally

 

[armorfirelady]

Snow-shocked chicken exploits have me laughing.

The frozen waterers did NOT have me feeling too giddy today, though. I think I may have to invest in a base heater for the galvanized waterer. Any product advice?

Speaking of product recommendations, our Pullet Shut motor failed for some reason. After trouble shooting and talking with the company, they sent us a new motor for free. The hubby replaced the old one and we mailed it back to them to check out at their expense. I was very impressed with their willingness to make good on the faulty motor and how quick they sent the new one (we had it within 4 or 5 work days). Boy did I ever miss that automatic door! I think the girls did, too, because I didn't always make it out there as early as the timer is set to.


TOB

Mine didnt work yesterday either. I think its because the solar panel was covered with ice & snow? I need to call today & order the electrical connection. I dont think the solar version is going to work all winter. The girls were not impressed they were locked in

 

[stonykill]

You work harder than most people ! Do you plane ? your own boards or is that for your wood stove ?



Based on Pats size is he probably a boy ?

sometimes I do mill my own lumber for building with. Not as often as I wish I could. That is wood furnace lumber. Pat probably is male but certainly isn't making it easy to certainly say that.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

For my waterers I set them up on cinder blocks and under the galvanlized ones I have bought 10watt heating pads (the little battery packs that go in heated blankets) and I set one of them under each waterer. They were about $6 each. They keep the ice off but they don't make the waterer hot which is nice.

I'm glad they did that! Most companies wouldn't want the broken one back, let alone send you a new one for free! I've been considering getting automatic doors but we are usually up and out by 7am so I'll suck it up for awhile and keep doing it manually. With 3 coops I wouldn't want automatic for all of them anyway...

AQHAchick - thx for the good explanation of your heat set-up.

I need to decide what I'm doing here, because things were frozen again today and I had to pour warm water on top of the iced up containers quickly before I drove my son to school. Grrrr....

I have had good luck with the large dish from Farm Innovators Ec...Farm Innovators Ec...Farm Innovators Ec...Farm Innovators Round Heated Pet Bowl - Blue - 1.5 gallon - 60 watt
I sometimes put a stainless steel bowl in it & raise it up in a plant pot . Mine drink out of bowls
Here is a link to a walmart cost ...may be able to get it in the store also .
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Farm-Inno...bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&findingMethod=p13n

Gramma, thanks to you, also for responding. I will check out this product link. Appreciate it!

They sell heaters you set your water dispenser on for like 50-60 I think the cost is at tsc or you can make one. Or you can make them which I will be doing tomorrow I think. googleing chicken water heater homemade brought up some nice ones. The consist of you ether making a 4 sided box or takeing a cement block with hole in it and then you take a light making kit from homedepot for like 6 dollars and putting a light in the hole. You then set your water dispenser on top of it. You can put a planter base under your water dispenser to even the heat out some with the ceramic.

I just found this video on youtube using that search and looking at images and this guy has easiest set up so far. The only problem I have with this set up is where he put a surge protector. He has it mounted outside his chicken coop when he could have had it in his garage. But he does make one for under like 5 dollars I need to see if I can find an outlet light plug like he has.

jlaw - thx for the reply. I would bet my hubby might like to try something like this. We are currently in the drama of replacing a broken boiler, though, and having trouble getting our radiant heat system up and working because of air in the system now. Not sure I dare ask him to help with chicken stuff. He might do this:

I suppose I could give it a whirl. Let me know if you try this and what you think...!

Mine didnt work yesterday either. I think its because the solar panel was covered with ice & snow? I need to call today & order the electrical connection. I dont think the solar version is going to work all winter. The girls were not impressed they were locked in

Armorfire - I am on battery / electric. So far, so good. I really was impressed with the service we got. Good luck getting yours reliably up. I love mine!



TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Stony,

You have an awesome self-sufficient set-up, and I think that's admirable ... and I'm just a little jealous, too!

In these times, it really pays to be able to rely on yourself and your own resources as much as possible. I'd like to tell the government to take a long hike!

Anyway, good for you.

TOB

 

[Breella]

Day three that the chickens have been locked up inside their coop because of the damaged roof over their run. I had hoped to get out this morning and put the new plywood on the overhang but I am running a fever. I figure this is good blizzard practice for them. I know how often I need to check their water and how fast they go through their food when locked inside now so in a real emergency I know how often I absolutely NEED to be getting out there for them.

Also, going to give them some of the fermented feed today! Hopefully they like it.

 

[stonykill]

Stony,

You have an awesome self-sufficient set-up, and I think that's admirable ... and I'm just a little jealous, too!

In these times, it really pays to be able to rely on yourself and your own resources as much as possible. I'd like to tell the government to take a long hike!

Anyway, good for you.

TOB

thanks. We are not where we want to be yet...but always working towards the goal of self sufficiency.

 

[hensfortherapy]

My Mom's dog thinks she is a chicken.

 

[marquisella]

I laughed at them this morning. The young ones make a big production of flying out of the coop in the morning, I have to stand back so I don't get bowled over by them. But this morning they flew as far as they could because they didn't want to come down on the white stuff. The youngest SS hen kind of crashed into the chain link fence. I did my chores and went inside. When I looked out she was still standing in her original spot at the fence. I think she didn't know if she could walk on the snow. Had to put on my boots and coat again pick her up and take her back to the coop. I knew I'd be worried while I was out to come bak and find her frozen in that spot. I think she was glad to be picked up and taken back, but couldn't be too docile in front of the others, so she rode my outstretched arm back to the coop, like a falcon.

Chickens are so much fun.

Three eggs today.

I've been doing fermented feed for a couple of weeks, their shells seem stronger, the color of the shells is a little darker and they feel smoother. They squabble more over the food, poops don't smell as much, and they don't drink as much water. When I see how the dry feed expands in the bucket, I think it is good to feed it wet, so it doesn't expand in their crops.

You don't have to worry about it expanding in the crop. Their gizzards grind the seeds up. I feed dry whole oats as a treat to the hens and more to the roosters in the stag pens so they don't get such high protein as the hens do. 1 egg today.....gave them cabbage yesterday, see how long it takes before they kick into production.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

The baby has been napping all morning. I was able to wash dishes and eggs then start another load of laundry. Yay! Now to see if she is hungry.

Edited to add: Rancher how is Donovan doing?